San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-09
MEXICAN oUTRAoEs.

i such an arrangement OF the secrethTy
OF state department under Mr.. Bayard's
incompetent management as has seldom
been heard in congress. His manner
was cool, deliberate, eminently judicial
and his presentation Of the injustice
done Mr.. Jackson so strongly set forth
that 1t created decided sensation in
the senate chamber.
Arraigning the secretary for his treat
ment of the minister at Mexico, Senator
Brown cited the facts, In the case Of the
schooner Rebeccs, which was the real
cause Of the disagreement between the
| state department and the minister at
Mexico. These facts were given as con-
tanned in the letters of Mr.. Bayard ac-
eompanying the presidents message,
and confirmed by the affidavits OF those
on board the schooner and by the testi-
mony OF the American consul at Tam
pico, at the time. These facts all conclu-
sively proved that the Rebecca was an
American schooner, engaged In coast
trade In the Gulf OF Mexico, making
occasional trips to Mexican ports. At
Brashear, La, she took on board lumber
for Tampico, Mexico, and six cases Of
merchandise for Brazos Santiago, Texas.
When near Brazos, she encountered a
very heavy storm which drove her
southwark away from that port; was
crippled, sprang sleak, and opened the
49,. 90 nhan dionhsinn than in
different parts OF the vessel to keep them
dry. In this condition she found herself
off TamplcO, her Mexican port, entered
the harbor and sent her protest Of dis
tress to the American consul. Disre-
garding this protest, ana the statement
of the captain and crew, the Mexican
authorities seized the Rebecca as a
smuggler, arrested her captain and COM
PEELED him to give bonds. The Mexican
Judge condemned him to pay triple du-
ties upon the goods, and, he not having
the money, the vessel was condemned
and sold. The triple duties and ex-
penses were paid and the balance d.
vided between the corresponding par
ticipants." 1t was against this outrage
that the American minister at the City
Of Mexico protested, and urged upon the
American government the necessity Of
taking prompt steps to compel restitu-
ton. The claim was made by
this government through the
Mexican courts, forindemnity. The
cases were not pressed and there seemed
no likelihood OF any conclusion ever
being reached, when General Jackson
urged upon the state department the
necessity of seeing that justice was
done. 1t was for this persistency that
Secretary Bsyard gave Mr.. Jackson that
severe rebuke which compelled the min
lister to tender his resignation. 1t is
this correspondence, between the state
department and General Jackson In this
matter, that Mr.. Baysrd now refuses to
furnish the United States senate. Con-
corning this, Senator Brown says:
In such a state of Things Minister
Jackson believed that diplomacy should
be vigorously pressed until q definite
result was reached, and in case diplO-
macy should fail then this government
should use all the laws of nations to re-
dress the wrongs of our citizens. The
manly letter Of Minister Jack
son, in vindicstion of the rights
Of our citizens who had been illegally
imprisoned and robbed of their proper
ty. brought forth what he construed to
ha no rahnka from Of
state, and virtual order to avoid press
ing the case to an issue. He was unable
TO reconcile the position Of the secretary
which forbid pressing the case to an
issue with the statement made by the
honorable secretary In his letters TO the
attorneys Of tho claimant, which have
been read, in which he states that our
representative at the City OF Mexico,
has been instructed to express..our discon-
tent to the Mexican government, and to
continue to press the case" 1t looked
like an indefinite postponement of re-
dress to our citizens who had been out
ragged In their persons and robbed of
their property. AS Minister jackson
felt that he had been rebuked for the
firm and what seemed to him to be the
correct stand he had taken In demand
ing restitution for the outrage perpe-
trated upon our citizens, and as he could
not reconcile what seemed to him to be
the conflicting statements of the secre-
tary he felt that he could no longer rem
der effective service when not sustained
ty his government; and that the only
alternative left him was TO resign, which
he did. The ground taken is that this
local court had Jurisdiction of the case,
and while il is admitted by the minister
of foreign affairs for Mexico that il all
the facts had been before the court diff
ferent decision might have been rem
dered, yet, this decision must stand.
Thus, you see, MIR. President, that
Mexico stands firmly upon the position
that judgment of her local court, not
appealed from, no matter how illegal or
uniustly rendered nor how partial or
oppressive 1t may be, is conclusive
against the citizen OF this republic.
Such is the judgment rendered on this
flimsy pretext without any legal evil
dence TO sustain 1t, which the govern
ment Of Mexico claims as final, con-
elusive and irrevocable, against the
claims Of the captain of the schooner for
| illegal imprisonment, and the owners of
the schooner and of her cargo for indem-
nifty for the robbery perpetrated under
| the aggravated circumstances above de-
tailed. 1t seems to me the people of the
| United States ought to be informed of
the character of this claim, and of a
number OF others OF like character that
are now pending. That to communicate
such Information to them is not incom-
patible with the public interests. and
| thew onQht To indipafa IN THAR nffioial